International Marketing and Product Perception: How to Avoid Flop in a New Market
In marketing, perceptions are more important than reality, because they influence consumer purchasing behaviour. Different people can have different perceptions of the same object.
You know, in life as in the work “every scarrafone is beautiful ‘to mom soja’ and when you have a product that works, sales start to rise and the future looks pink, it is easy to let yourself be taken from enthusiasm and to get yourself headlong in new markets, sure that your product will get the same success.
However, in a new commercial context, the loyalty demonstrated by consumers and the popularity acquired in the domestic market are very little important in the face of a audience that still does not know us.
Much of the success of a product is based, in fact, on perception of its value And when a brand does not want to shape its own offer based on local preferences, chances of success are drastically reduced.
If internationalisation is well done, it is a long and complex process, which requires a deep analysis and knowledge of the target market and the habits of its consumers. Otherwise, as we will discover in the next paragraphs, the gaffe is always around the corner.
SUMMARY
- International marketing: why is it important?
- AKA's cultural location and adaptation talks about how your audience eats
- Local habits and consumer behaviour AKA Country you go, custom you find
- Competitors analysis AKA Welcome to the Jungle
- Geolocation and seasonality of the AKA product the world is beautiful because it is varied
International marketing: why is it important?
Once you have identified the target market for your product, you just have to translate the site into English, launch an advertising campaign and wait for sales to arrive in queues, right? Spoiler: NOUnfortunately, even if increasing the meeting points with your new consumers is a first step, this is not enough to convey the value of your brand to another country and to another culture.
The international marketing is the analysis of the habits of the foreign public that your brand is interested in achieving and engaging in the study of linguistic aspects, communication strategies, population segments and cultural aspects to be taken into account.
Investing time and resources in the formulation of a winning strategy from the outset is a beneficial choice to save potential future fatigue and disappointment, ensuring that the product is in line with the market needs and that the foreign public grasps the uniqueness and value of the brand.
But wasn't the Made in Italy brand enough?
Of course, Made in Italy is synonymous with quality and prestige in any part of the world, but sticking a tricolor on the box of your product is not a strategy that can guarantee your business lasting results over time.
In the next paragraphs we will discover together some of the aspects not to be underestimated in order to make a breach in the hearts of consumers of another country, given by some example regarding the international flops of some of the most famous brands...because yes, when it comes to internationalisation, even the best mistakes!
AKA's cultural location and adaptation talks about how your audience eats
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According to data from the search “Can’t read, Won’t buy“(If I don’t read, I don’t buy) from CSA Research, conducted on a sample of over 8500 non-English native speakers, 40% of consumers don’t buy from sites in a different language, 56% say they don’t visit sites in other languages and 75% require product information to be reported in their own language, before proceeding to purchase.
localization, that is the linguistic-cultural adaptation of its product, is undoubtedly the first fundamental step to enter the heart and minds of international consumers.
Vabbè co Google Translateci put n’at a moment, no?
Aridaje... NO! Despite the quality of machine translation services has improved significantly in recent years, localizing its service means much more than transposing content literally from A to B language and requires the assistance of human professionals who can understand the linguistic nuances and adapt the image of the company to different cultural contexts.
Relying on automatic solutions without human supervision, in fact, the presence of gross errors related to the context could result in real and own figurative internationally.
Coca Cola knows that during operations naming for his entry into the Chinese market, he decided to transliterate his brand name using random Chinese characters for simple assonance (Ke-Kou-Ke-Le). The final meaning? “Dead wax spin.” A decidedly uninviting and unrecognised solution by local consumers, who forced the company to completely review its strategy in China.
Localizing means working a careful study of the language, habits and communication strategies of the country of destination. A lesson that Coca Cola has soon learned at its expense, becoming one of the most popular brands in the world thanks to its ability to adapt products to the tastes and needs of the local audience.
AKA country you go, custom you find
Or rather, “We’re going to the product you’re finding.” Yes, because a product that works great in a market could prove to be an absolute flop in another. For this reason, after passing the language barrier, one of the crucial aspects is to be able to establish a relationship of trust with the international audience that still does not know our product.
What? Learning to know and understand your needs!
Coming according to our habits, especially in Eurocentric contexts, it is easy to miss some aspects and give for discount others. As happened to the American giant General Mills who, strong of the popularity of his preparations for desserts throughout Europe, decided to land in Japan with his products, except then realize in the Country of the East Sun almost no one has an oven!
Making an in-depth analysis of the target market is a fundamental step that must involve all aspects of the market customer journey, from tastes and needs of consumers, to preferred purchasing methods.
As the Sephora case teaches, proposing a product already recognized and quality is not enough, if you do not pay attention to customer habits.
Since 2010 about the famous cosmetic brand has closed the doors of all its stores in Japan.
business model Despite the brand’s popularity, the company has failed to make a breach in the heart of consumers for two reasons, both linked to the local cultural context: First, the experience self-service In the shop, not appreciated by the Japanese, used to be always followed in the choice of products. And then, above all, the tendency of the brand to promote itself as perfumery, in a country where to use strong fragrances is considered by... well... a little good, let's say so.
Local competition AKA Welcome to the Jungle
Entering a new market is a bit like getting into a jungle. Entrance barriers, communication difficulties, a public who does not know us, a fierce competition behind every corner... but there is no need to be frightened because, if there is one thing our age taught us, it is that geographical boundaries are increasingly labile and getting a good position abroad, even for an enterprise, it is no longer a business.
However, despite the logistical and bureaucratic aspects appearing more simple to manage, it is important to remember that the entry into a new market must always be carefully weighted.
One of the first steps? Take a careful and accurate Competitors analysis.
Analyzing competition in a foreign market means identifying competitors already present in the country and their weight on the market, deepening the characteristics of their offer and finally identifying a market niche that could prove to be interesting for our product.
What if the niche isn’t there?
This can happen, and in case the market is already saturated or unwilling to welcome our products we just have to orientate our gaze towards other horizons and remember the wise words of grandmother: “Tesò, don’t despair. The sea is full of fish!”
It is a great example of Pizza Hut, an American chain famous for bringing American pizza all over the world and that, despite the over 12,000 restaurants in 100 countries, decided not to set foot in Italy. Why? Well, ask yourself, would you taste it?
Despite the suspicion that some Hawaii pizza with the pineapple would have sold the same, in fact, Pizza Hut wisely maintained the distance from the real home of the pizza, even making autoironia on the poor quality of the products for the Italian palate. In a nice spot of 2014, in fact, you see some old people of Sorrento taste suspicious a spicy while the ad says: “The participants were paid, but the pizza did not like the same!”
Geolocation and seasonality of the AKA product the world is beautiful because it is varied
Last but not least, the appearance of geolocation and seasonality is mainly linked to the logistic and functional aspects of the product. life cycles and mode of use different in other parts of the world, depending on the climate, the holidays and local customs.
This variability, if handled wisely, can be extremely advantageous for businesses, allowing them to capitalize on seasonality or trends other than those of the domestic market.
The case of Loison, a artisan company in Vicenza specializing in the production of Christmas and Easter cakes. Thanks to the brilliant insight of the owners, the brand managed to completely untie itself from the domestic festive traditions, promoting products abroad as a Italian cakes suitable for all seasons and succeeding in working full-time for 365 days a year.
Adapting a product originally designed for completely different purposes to the global market is a complex challenge, but it can lead to extraordinary results. However, it requires a deep understanding of market dynamics, international consumer preferences and opportunities offered by geolocation. With a well-planned strategy and the ability to grasp changes in seasonality and trends, companies can achieve success in international markets in unexpected ways.
Ugg, an Australian brand of specialized footwear, also teaches us, think a little, in the manufacture of hairy boots to keep the feet of surfers warm and become one of the most famous and appreciated luxury footwear brands in the world.
In short, the most or less successful international marketing examples are endless. In this article we have listed only a few, but Stay tuned to discover other fun anecdotes in the next episodes!